Metal News for November 21, 2011

We post metal news every day, throughout the day, covering thousands of metal bands including underground and unsigned bands. You are currently browsing the news archive, but you can also find news by band.

8747 Productions has posted a video interview online with Chris Litchford of Scale The Summit during the band's current run of tour dates with Cynic. The band also commented:

"Newest interview with Chris, during the Cynic tour! 2 dates left! San Fran @ Slim's tomorrow and Los Angeles @ The Key Club on Wednesday! Then we start the Protest The Hero tour after Thanksgiving! Check out the tour dates tab on our page!"

Footage has been posted online of David Ellefson and Chris Broderick of Megadeth at a Jackson Guitars autograph signing in Monterrey, Mexico. You can check out the clips below. In other Megadeth news, the band recently dropped its latest studio album "Th1rt3en" (reviewed here).

On Friday, April 13th Nachtmystium will be playing a very special show at Roadburn 2012's Voivod-curated Au-delà du Réel event. For the first and only time, Nachtmystium will play the landmark USBM album "Instinct: Decay" in its entirety.

When "Instinct: Decay" was released in 2006, branded as a psychedelic extreme metal record, it was met with deeply divided feedback - some highly laudatory and some derisive.

"Nachtmystium is extremely honored to be a part of Roadburn again," says Blake Judd, "The fact that we were picked by one our idols and perhaps the most forward thinking metal bands of all time, Voivod, makes it even more that extraordinary. We decided to do something hopefully just as equally special for everyone there. We'll be playing our album, Instinct: Decay, from start to finish. We hope you enjoy it."

For more information on the festival, please visit the official Roadburn website at this location.

Scottish pirate metal act Alestorm has announced the "Useless Drunken Bastards" U.K. and Ireland tour in 2012 with Claim the Throne. The band commented:

"Greetings dudes! In February 2012 we'll be hitting the road for our biggest headlining UK tour EVER, including our first ever shows in Ireland! Along with us will be our Australian buddies Claim The Throne, who are really good at getting drunk. Get your asses down to the show, or we'll kick your ass. I know where you live."

MetalSucks' Axl Rosenberg recently visited Gojira's Joe Duplantier (guitars/vocals) and Mario Duplantier (drums) at Spin Recording Studios in Long Island City, where the band is hard at work recording its Roadrunner debut. The Brothers Duplantier discussed their new album, signing with Roadrunner, working with producer Josh Wilbur, the long-delayed "Sea Shepherd" EP, and more. Excerpts from the chat follow:

MS: Can you tell me anything about the actual music on the new album? How is it different from other Gojira albums? Did you have a vision for it going into the process?

Joe Duplantier: It's more mature.

MS: How so?

JD: There's less bullshit. [laughs] There's more intensity and simplicity at the same time. Drum-wise, for example, Mario has been serving the music, but with a lot more of his experience in the drumming, and a lot of reflection in the work. His drum fills, for example, are be simpler, yet more technical. For a real drummer to hear [what he's doing], they'll go "Holy shit, man. What did you do?" For someone who is not into drumming, they'll go through the song and say "Wow, cool." There's more technique and more experience.

Mario Duplantier: It's more ambitious. There's a space in the songs. [hums a riff] It's more... [looks to Joe]

JD: Wide?

MS: Expansive?

JD: It's hard to talk about it, really.

MS: Going into it, did you say we want to make something more open and more ambitious, or is that just how it turned out in the songwriting process? More...

The new Five Finger Death Punch album "American Capitalist" entered at #3 on the Billboard Top 200 in early October and has already sold over 165,000 copies in just a few weeks. Now, less than two months after the release of the record the band has got some more news.

Starting this Tuesday, November 22nd, fans will be able to get the brand new cover art for 5FDP’s current album. It features an illustration of the band’s ubiquitous “mascot,” Knucklehead over the backdrop of Time Square in New York City.

“We are the people’s band, and a lot of fans really liked this alternative artwork we had on the tour posters. So many times we heard, 'THAT should be the album cover' – so we figured we’d make it happen,” explains guitarist Zoltan Bathory. “If you like the original cover, that’s cool too - I guess the original will be somewhat of a limited item from now on, so there you go.”

The new Knucklehead illustration will only be replacing the regular edition album version of "American Capitalist," while the deluxe edition artwork will remain the same.

Profound Lord Records has announced that the Vasaeleth album "Crypt Born & Tethered To Ruin" has been re-pressed in time for the band's appearance at this year's Rites Of Darkness Festival and is finally available again after being out of print for a year. The album is also now available for streaming in the player below.

Paris, France based act Danforth is currently working on a new full-length album to be released in early 2012. The band has previously released several demo/splits and an EP, and also released a 3D video clip for the song "Predator," which can be viewed below. To keep up with the latest Danforth recording updates, head over to the band's Facebook profile here.

Last week CKY/World Under Blood guitarist/vocalist Deron Miller asked fans to send in requests for video guitar lessons from any of his musical projects. Miller has been collecting requests via Facebook, YouTube and email, and he has posted the first lessons online. Check out World Under Blood’s “Into the Arms of Cruelty” and the CKY hit “Shock and Terror” in the players below.

Miller’s most recent project, the melodic death metal outfit World Under Blood, released its debut album, "Tactical," in July via Nuclear Blast Records. Stay tuned for more info on Deron Miller and World Under Blood.

Solo act Panopticon is currently streaming the opening track from the new album "Social Disservices." You can check out the song "Resident" through the Flenser Records Bandcamp page or in the player below.

"Social Disservices" is available as a CD or DLP. The CD version comes in a high gloss digipack with an insert, while the DLP includes a small poster and an insert and is limited to only 250 units. The album was mastered by Colin Marston of Krallice. Flenser Records commened:

"Panopticon is the brainchild of one Austin Lundr, and has garnered considerable attention and critical acclaim for the project’s raw, atmospheric blend of black metal, crust, post-rock, and Appalachian folk. Aquarius Records have lauded them as 'crusty weirdo mathy abstruse black metal, a buzzing blasting pounding onslaught of Pagan fury, rife with samples and all manner of strange sonic filigree,' and their description isn’t far off. Whereas Panopticon’s earlier full-length effort On the Subject of Mortality was an internal mediation on death, and Panopticon’s 2nd album Collapse anticipated the decline of government infrastructure, Social Disservices lashes out against a broken social services infrastructure that imprisons a silent minority. Social Disservices continues the blackened crust of Panopticon’s previous effort but with a bit more darkness this time. Think black noise with a dose of forlorn gaze. This is Panopticon’s darkest record and their most aggressive." More...

Long running Maryland powerviolence legion Strong Intention will embark on a short run of tour dates this February opening for Lock Up and Goatwhore. The trek will commence on February 8th in Buffalo and pummel its way through seven cities before coming to a ceremonial close on February 16th in Brooklyn.

Commented front man Zac Ohler: "We as a band are honored to be taking part in Lock Up's first ever North American tour. It will be our second go'round with Goatwhore and the first time in five years that we will be touring with Mr. Tomas Lindberg since the Disfear tour in 2006. We will be bringing a complete bombastic display of thrash/grind/punk/hardcore terrorism with us as a tour like this demands it."

Instrumental metal act Grocki has posted the first single "Ascension" online, which is taken from the solo band's new album "Chaos Theory" (now available on iTunes and AmazonMP3). You can check out the song in the player below, or find the album cover artwork after the jump. Further details on Grocki and more songs from the album are available via the band's Facebook profile here.

Prolific hard rockers Clutch have wrapped up their European tour with Volbeat and the guys will continue their tour with a string of headlining shows through Scandanavia. Kamchatka will be providing support on these dates. Clutch has also just confirmed an in-store performance and signing for November 27th at Bengans in Goteberg, Sweden. The band will perform a special acoustic set. More information can be found here.

Weathermaker Music will release the deluxe double vinyl edition of Clutch's classic 2004 opus "Blast Tyrant" on November 29th via Indiemerchstore.com. The double vinyl package will also be available at North American retail outlets prior to the holidays. On December 13th, Weathermaker Music will release to Clutch friendly retailers a limited amount of "Blast Tyrant" vinyl which will include an exclusive 7" picture disc, of which only the Clutch band members know the content. Look for a special announcement when the band returns from a European tour.

In addition to the already scheduled holiday shows, Clutch has added two shows in Austin, Texas on December 17th and December 18th. The show on the 17th will be at the brand new Emo's East and the show the following night will be a very intimate show with Clutch playing at the Emo's Inside Room. Upcoming Clutch tour dates are as follows:

Black Veil Brides has announced a new U.K. tour, including the band's first ever Irish dates, in March 2012. Special guests will be D.R.U.G.S with another act still to be announced. Additionally, the band has just confirmed the release of a new single “Fallen Angels” on Monday January 9th through Island.

Original tickets for the postponed Wolverhampton and Bristol dates remain valid. Tickets go on general sale from 9am on Wednesday, November 23rd and are priced at £17.50 in London, 22€ in Dublin and £15 at all other venues.

For the new guy behind the microphone Deadlock found a band-internal solution with John Gahlert, who played bass so far. He already helped out a couple of times and proofed his vocal qualities very well.

The vacant position on the bass is taking over long time friend, driver, merch guy, and tour manager Ferdinand Rewicki. For the band it was no question that Ferdinand is the perfect addition for Deadlock on bass.

The group will enter the studio today to begin tracking the aforementioned new effort and will be visually documenting the entire process to give everyone an inside look into the recording process. Be sure to stay tuned to the Periphery Facebook profile over the coming weeks for new studio webisodes and frequent updates.

Jake Bowen (guitars) states: “We've got a ton of new songs ready that we can't wait for you guys to hear. We'll spend the winter in the studio with Taylor Larson (our good friend Nolly Getgood is co-producing with Misha Mansoor). We've decided to go a new direction with our music and we're calling this new genre DjentSlam! JUST KIDDING! Get stoked!”

As I Lay Dying premiering a new music video for the band's take on the Judas Priest classic "Electric Eye" through www.Ulitmate-Guitar.com. The song appears on the recently released EP, "Decas, "which marks the band's 10 year anniversary.

The clip was shot with director Paul Brown (My Chemical Romance, Staind, Stone Sour) at El Mirage Lake, a dry lake bed in the Mojave Desert of San Bernardino County, California.

"After a long day of sunburns and drought out in the desert I'm glad to be done fighting scorpions for the filming of Electric Eye. We came out victorious, but we probably couldn't have done it without the classic metal inspiration of Halford and Priest's legendary guitar melodies," explains front man Tim Lambesis.

Pittsburgh, PA's Seth Kozak has posted a new track online titled "Decay of Order." You can check out the song in the player available below. You can check out more details on the project by heading over to the band's Facebook profile here.

Chapter 14, which features Chad Ackerman (ex-Destroy the Runner, As I Lay Dying, Austrian Death Machine), has posted a preview online for the new single "The Bad Shepherd." You can listen to the preview through the player below.

"The Bad Shepherd" single is due out November 30th, 2011 and will be featured on an upcoming release that is the follow-up to the "Like Tress In November" album (reviewed here). More...

Israeli metal act Eternal Gray has been posting one song a day online from the band's "Your Gods, My Enemies" album. Today the third song "Black Prophecy" has been made available and can be heard in the player below.

U.K. exreme metal band Nexus Inferis posted the first part of a In Studio Diary report on the recording of the band's new LP "A Vision of the Final Earth." The album is scheduled for release on January 27, 2012 through NoiseArt Records.

Nexus Inferis describes the band as follows: "Nexus Inferis encompasses a master design of future extreme metal. Savage yet imaginative guitar riffs and relentless battery churn at the core of this cold dystopian death machine. Surrounded and cursed by devices of sinister orchestration, dynamic textures and digital sound designs. Possessed by a vocal threat spanning both human and non-human spectrums!"

U.K. act Paradise Lost is currently in the studio record a new full-length album, which is scheduled to be released in 2012. The band is now posting a series of brief recording updates and photos from the studio through the Paradise Lost Facebook profile at this location.

Vildhjarta will be releasing the new "Måsstaden" album on November 28th in Europe and November 29th in North America. In celebration of the impending album release, Century Media is now streaming the entire new album online. Head over to this location to check out the album stream, or click here to find the band's recently released "Dagger" music video.

German extreme death metal band Eisregen unveiled the album artwork for the forthcoming release "Rostrot." The album is due out on December 9, 2011 through Massacre Records. The album will be available as CD, limited and numbered A5 Digipak (incl. bonus track) as well as limited and numbered vinyl LP w/ gatefold cover (limited to 500 pieces, incl. bonus track).

German progressive metal band Beyond The Bridge signed with Frontiers Records. The band's debut will be a rock opera entitled "The Old Man And The Spirit" and is scheduled for release on January 20, 2012 (EU) and January 24, 2011 (North America).

Frontiers Records provided the following information on the band and the debut release:

" 'The Old Man and the Spirit' is an ambitious concept album dealing with the polarity of human sensuousness and superhuman awareness. Two main characters interpret the music on this theatrical and challenging record: 'the Spirit', who is the personification of all wisdom and awareness that is unachievable to mankind but that lacks of the ability to feel, and her opponent 'the Old Man': a bon vivant who has lived through all highs and lows of human sensations. These two characters are interpreted by the two band singers: a female Dilenya Mar and a male Herbie Langhans.

"But the operatic and cinematic setting of the album was put together by the two bands’ masterminds: guitar player Peter Degenfeld and the classically trained ivory tinkler Christopher Tarnow. 'From the beginning it was our intention to do an album presenting one big piece of music' tells Degenfeld. 'One of the very first things that came about were the two characters together with the basic content of the story. Basically before the notes were written, we knew what each song had to sound and feel like and what the lyrics had to say. With these restrictions we started the songwriting process. In the end writing songs under these self-imposed limits turned out to be just great'.

"While 'The Old Man and The Spirit' is undoubtedly a demanding musical statement, Beyond The Bridge are determined to make their steps to bring their music on tour. 'We put a lot of effort into the goal of creating the studio sound on stage and we have already rearranged some parts to make them more suitable for live performances', explains Degenfeld. More...

Biohazards has just revealed the cover art for the band's new album "Reborn In Defiance," which is set to be unleashed January 20th, 2012 via Nuclear Blast.

Danny Schuler says, "Being a huge fan of vinyl records and the amazing sleeve artwork that used to come with them, I really wanted our artwork to be unique. In the spirit of being REBORN IN DEFIANCE, the album cover represents to me an interesting paradox: an embryo, not yet spoiled by the world, but already possessing the heart of a rebel."

Billy Graziadei explains, "The innocence of youth has always been a strong subject for us, with the children playing over a crime scene on the Urban Discipline album cover to the child running with a biological gas mask on the State of the World Address cover. For REBORN IN DEFIANCE, an unborn child waits to be thrown into a world that will steal the untainted purity of infancy we all start out with."

Danny sums up the cover art's significance quite simply: "It all begins in the womb."

To get some first sonic impressions, surf to the band's Facebook profile and check out "Come Alive" and "Vengeance Is Mine."

U.S. based prog metal act Suspyre is releasing the band's fourth full-length album this year, tentatively titled "The Cycle." In addition to the music, which is a fusion of metal, jazz, and modern classical, the band is making a DVD that will include candid studio outtakes, a unique look into the making of the music, some live footage, and other material. Suspyre is currently running a Kickstarter campaign seeking donations to make physical copies of the album instead of going with a digital-only release. The band commented:

"Since we decided to release this package without label support, we need fans to help us raise money. Pledging $10 gets you a digital version of the album, and also guarantees the band gets the money upfront so we can afford to duplicate the CDs and DVDs. Instead of a bureaucracy controlling the fate of this release, the fans will.

"If you want the physical CD/DVD release, $25 will get you that, with our autographs. Pledging $50 will add a brand new Suspyre T-shirt, so you can support us by sporting our logo all day. The design will be released soon!

"Our goal was derived based on what it usually costs to release an album; the price of recording (we buy our own equipment!), artwork, duplication, and advertising all add up quickly! We plan to have the album completed by the end of the year and this is impossible without the support of fans like you.

"Thanks to everyone who helped us out! Remember to 'like' us on Facebook for near-daily updates!"

Fan-filmed footage has been posted online of The Very End performing the song "Blacklisted" during a recent show in Oberhausen. You can check out the clip below, and the band also commented:

"Our friend Beate has uploaded a bunch of videos from Saturday's show in Oberhausen on her YouTube channel. Head over and check out clips of 'The Leper', 'Flatline', 'Dead Is The New Alive', 'Letters To The Living', 'The Loss Theory', 'Blacklisted' and 'Vultures'. Thanks a lot, Beate!"

Hardcore act Coalesce has released a digitally-remastered version and a special, remixed version of the track "Did It Pay The Rent" via Lambgoat. You can listen in at this location.

Both versions appear on the upcoming double-disc reissue of the band's 1998 debut, "Give Them Rope." The collection includes the original album remastered as well as second disc with "Give Them Rope She Said v2.0" a remixed version of the album. The album is set for a November 22nd release and is available for pre-order here.

Russian all-female metal act Blackthorn has issued the following announcement about the band's upcoming album:

"We proudly announce that our second album entitled 'CODEX ARCHAOS' is ready! Mixing and mastering for the album were done again by Igor Korolyov at KIV Records. Bloody conceptual artwork by W.Smerdulak. Visit our Myspace page to check out 'Vehemence Came As Anodyne'; the newest track from the album! The album will be released in Russia this winter via MSR Productions."

The artwork is available below, and the track listing for "Codex Archaos" is as follows:

'Divination In Blood''Vehemence Came As Anodyne''Nemesis Incarnation''Gorgon The Ascendant''Emptysis Kiss''Arria Marcella''Posthumous Passion Ephemera''Dismalediction and the Remedy''Hexshadow Turned To Flesh''Bestial Satan Of Grotesque Beauty''The Fading Ceremony' More...

Slovenia's Inmate has revealed the artwork for the band's new album "Free at Last," which is available after the jump and was created by Žiga Lovšin. "Free at Last" is set to drop in 2012, and the track listing is as follows:

1. Inmate (intro)2. Without warning3. Written in blood4. ... Overcome5. Angels6. Fire, walk with me7. Victorious8. Promises9. Healing10. Free at last (instrumental)11. Lost in words12. Inexorable path13. Out of the darkness14. Another chance (outro) More...

Swedish fantasy power metal band Dragonland posted a new video feature on the elven city of "Val'inthor," which is featured in the new LP "Under the Grey Banner." The visual artist Damian Bajowski, from the PC game "The Witcher," provided the artwork for the features as well as the band's LP. The album was released on November 18, 2011 through AFM Records.

The track listing for "Under the Grey Banner" is as follows:

1. Ilmarion2. Shadow Of The Mithril Mountains3. The Tempest4. A Thousand Towers White5. Fire And Brimstone6. The Black Mare7. Lady Of Goldenwood8. Dûrnir's Forge9. The Trials Of Mount Farnor10. Throne Of Bones11. Under The Grey Banner12. Ivory Shores

Leaves' Eyes frontwoman Liv Kristine checked in from the studio to announce that she is in the middle of recording her fourth yet untitled solo LP. She is currently recording at Mastersound Studios.

Kristine had the following announcement about the upcoming release: "I am very happy to announce that we are in the middle of the production of my fourth solo album, working together with J.B., who is a great inspiration to me. The mood of this season with its amazing colours and warm light fits perfectly to my up-coming release. "Libertine" will be the title of one of the tracks, as well as one of the songs I will play live in Nagold, Germany, at my solo concert 02.12.2011."

Danish progressive act Royal Hunt posted part four of a series of in studio video reports for the band's forthcoming album "Show Me How To Live." This video shows new guitarist Jonas Larsen recording a solo.

"Show Me How To Live" will be released on November 29th, 2011 (North America) and December 2nd, 2011 (EU) via Frontiers Records. The first single "Hard Rain's Coming" was released on November 14, 2011.

German power metal band Primal Fear has posted part four of a studio update series on the recording of the band's new LP "Unbreakable." This video checks in with the listening session in Stuttgart. The band is set to release new LP "Unbreakable" on January 27, 2012.

The track listing for "Unbreakable" (order not confirmed) is as follows:

The band will continue to shop the debut album "The Serpentine Ritual." The album was mixed by Andy LaRocque in Sweden, who also guests on the song "Coat of Blood." The band is planning a 2012 release date.

The track listing for "The Serpentine Ritual" is:

1. The Serpentine Ritual2. Torn Down3. Time To Kill4. Ambush5. Old School Thrasher6. Coat Of Blood7. Cold Hard Floor8. Law Of The Land9. The Day The World Dies10. Prisoner Of The Flesh

Check out the tracks "Old School Thrasher" and "The Serpentine Ritual" here: More...

Dutch Gothic metal band Autumn premiered its new video for the track "The Scarecrow" on Metal Hammer Germany (seen below). The track appears on the band's latest release "Cold Comfort" out now on Metal Blade Records.

If there was ever a genre of metal that seems to get the least amount of exposure, it would possibly be the brutal death metal scene. There are literally dozens of bands putting out material every week, and occasionally a few rise above the heap to become well-known with most metal listeners.

Brutal death metal, which has as it's subgenres slam, grind, and porno, can partially trace it's inception back to Earache grindcore compilations and mostly to the late 80's/early 90's when such extreme bands as Blood Duster, Lividity, and Broken Hope put out grisly material that raised the bar in terms of gore, lyrics, and horror-themed album cover art. The following years saw Dying Fetus become one of the top bands of the next wave, with caustic maim-inducing music that influenced countless bands in today's brutal scene. When done well, the music can be hilarious and high energy. When done badly, it is still pretty funny too. More...

The organizers of Belgium's Graspop Metal Meeting festival have begun announcing the first batch of names for next years edition of the event, in addition to the previously confirmed headliners, Black Sabbath.